garifuna festival!!

once a year on april 12th there is a deluge of color, costumes, drumming, dancing and celebration that comes to the small fishing village of punta gorda.  .  it is the  celebration of the garifuna arriving to roatan and this year marks the 213th year of them living here.  it is rather astounding that they have been able to maintain the authenticity of their culture and customs amidst both a south american influence as well as a north american culture.   not only do they have distinct customs, food but they even have their own language.  a total separate people group living on the east side of the island.

 

i find them very intriguing.  i remember the first time bob and i drove through punta gorda with lisa, our real estate agent.  i was amazed at such a simple, quiet lifestyle by the sea.  i remember taking a photo of a little naked baby playing under the shade of a palm tree and i thought, have i somehow slipped back in time? to a simpler time. to a beautiful life.

today the JOY amongst the people celebrating their life on these shores was hard to miss.   it wasn't a tourist event.. it was a time to remember and honour their heritage.  jeanette and i walked for over a mile to see where the parade had gathered and then we slowly made our way to the grandstand.   there were many dancers and drummers in the parade and children dressed up with masks.  it is told that at one point there were people threatening to invade their village so the men of the tribe dressed up as woman and as their enemies approached they were unsuspecting until the 'women' began to fight with a vengeance and needless to say overcame them.

the parade made it's way to a small grandstand where they was more music and dancing.   we enjoyed seeing the young people in particular drum and dance.  it was amazing to see their energy and the drumming skill in that hot room as the sweat ran down from their faces.

there was an wonderful assortment of foods to enjoy:  fish stew on rice, bbq chicken, beans, tortillas, roasted corn as well as fresh fruit and many cold drinks.

i loved to watch them dance.   the young, the old,  all together joyfully celebrating and singing at the top of their lungs.  the colors swirled before my eyes ... a blur of hot pink, deep oranges, bright yellow.... with matching hats and even matching shoes!!   what a celebration.  what a day.

emily took this!  that lady in red could dance!!

this is my friend catherine wearing a dress she had made on the mainland.